WALKING ON SUNSHINE

Basically…

Set to the music of big ‘80s hits, Taylor, (Hannah Arterton), visits her sister Maddie, (Annabel Scholey), who’s away ‘finding herself’ in a beautiful coastal Italian village. On finding out she’s engaged to Raf, (Giulio Berruti), her holiday romance from three years ago, though, Taylor decides to bury her feelings and not to tell Maddie about the past.

In other words…

An eye opener for anyone who thought Mammia Mia was cringy.

The main men and leading ladies…

Giulio Berruti, Annabel Scholey and Hannah Arterton (yes, sister of Gemma) all star in their first major movies. Sense and Sensibility’s Greg Wise plays the sleazy ex-boyfriend who can’t keep his mouth shut, and comedian Katy Brand returns from her 2010 work in Nanny McPhee. X-Factor winner, Leona Lewis, is apparently an actress now too – and is shown up for having the worst voice out of the leading stars. Awkward…

In the chair…

You have directing duo Max Giwa and Dania Pasquini to blame for this outrageous explosion of cheese. After doing so well with StreetDance 3D, they’ve stayed committed to producing feel good musicals that’ll get us itching to move.

So…?

The acting is over the top, the songs are predictable, the script makes your toes curl and plot is like something out of an ironic soap spinoff. Not a single word of dialogue is spoken before the first hit is belted out and it immediately sets the tone of this Mamma Mia wannabe. It’s cringy, it’s awkward to watch and at points the audience were laughing at how ridiculous it is rather than its intended humour. Despite a similar setting and plot path, it lacks the warmth, elegance and soundtrack of Mamma Mia. The ABBA classic was unusual because the actors performed ‘live’ but you definitely notice the difference when they don’t. It also makes the theatrical acting in 90210 look Oscar worthy.

But in saying all that, it’s epic.

It’s fun, it’s joyful and it doesn't take itself seriously. If you take it with a pinch (maybe a fistful) of salt, and embrace the cheese that is oozing out of every scene, you’ll be captured by the overly choreographed dances and wish you were in one of those mass choruses. While other screens are showing films about cancer struck teenagers, transforming machines and an Irish tranny who’s as funny as a funeral, this is the sort of escape that will light up your day and put a smile on your face. It’s infectious so don’t bother fighting it.

Worth the money? 

Every single penny.